UdoR wrote:
arj1 I’m with you! Have also scheduled next training session on Friday. On the menu for me are holdings and LPV approaches.
Haven’t flown one, ever – they were removed from the databases after Brexit. I’m usually doing ILS + RNP 2D LNAV (sometimes +V, sometimes without).
Good luck and enjoy! ;)
Got this picture from a friend flying out from Innsbruck:
arj1 wrote:
Haven’t flown one, ever
Even easier than ILS. You don’t have to capture nothing and no need to identify the signal emitter. We have lots of LPV around. I always prefer other approaches, because there’s more to do. Flying an autopilot coupled LPV is as lazy as flying can get.
I’m just a bit rusty on calculating all the numbers during approach (those finger rules and holding rules and so on). Haven’t done much training lately. But now I’m taking that last step.
Did absolutely nothing with my plane, unfortunately. But I did go and visit it. I should probably have taken a bunch of grapes. The engine shop still hasn’t got back with an estimate after two weeks, so we’re wondering what to do for the best.
I did get to fly my instructor’s plane, a PA32 – my reason for being at Cuers (where the shop is). First time I’ve flown one. It was a very nice plane to fly, incredibly stable in pitch. It has an ancient single-axis autopilot, but if you trim it right it will hold altitude hands-off with no problem. Which is absolutely not the case for the TB20.
We did the usual instrument currency workout – two approaches to Avignon LFMN, then one to Le Castellet LFMQ on the way back. The wind at Avignon was incredible – on takeoff, the first time I glanced down at the airspeed we were already at rotation speed. We were off the ground before well before the displaced threshold at 1000 feet.
There are just two airports in the world, that I know, where you can count on a for-real hold. Heathrow is one, of course, and Avignon is the other. In two approaches we flew it four times. Just for laughs, the published hold for the missed and for the approach are at the same point, CM – but in different directions. This confuses the Garmin – and me too.
johnh wrote:
There are just two airports in the world, that I know, where you can count on a for-real hold.
You can pretty much count on holds at Gloucestershire Airport EGBJ on a busy IMC day. They don’t have radar so they stack all the real IFR plus training IFR flights up in the hold, 1,000 ft vertically apart. Then trickle them down one by one as the next plane heads out bound for the ILS. I imagine its just like old days. I have been put in the hold overhead the airport for up to 45 minutes at times.
For us today it was a flight back from Sion LSGS to, well, Gloucestersire. Beautiful, beautiful flying weather. Severe VMC all the way except for the last few minutes, and no headwind despite heading NW. Here is the view on the high performance departure out of Sion passing FL180. Thats the Dents du Midi with the common stratus layer over Lac Leman (Geneva) in the background. We met @WillC on the tarmac at Sion. Great to meet another fellow EuroGAer.
It was one of those weekends when the sly is clear, the plane is available, but me going flying was just to much for my family so I died to self and canceled. Did some much needed gardening instead, making an effort not to mention to my wife the planes flying over us 
I wish you had all a great weekend.
Johnh, sorry for your grounded plane. You seem to have quite some bad luck.
Dan, this kids playground near the airfield fuel pump is an interesting concept
I have my annual IR test soon so doing a lot of flying Went to LFAT (where I haven’t been for, ahem, a few weeks!) for a quick bike ride and walkabout
Nice wx at 5000ft – typical winter high (1035+) conditions
ATC casual as ever. I asked Lille for ILS13 (real IMC around) and got DCT TUKVI and cleared for ILS from many miles away, then handed to Le T TWR long before TUKVI.
These must be worth “a bob or two” – well having had all the rusty bits (99.7% of a Citroen?) replaced – or maybe it was stored in a nitrogen atmosphere?
Nice lunch as always
Beach crowded
Moonscape
Great dune patterns
For a long time LFAT denied they charge more to Brits. I am not sure how long this price list has been known
I have already got a pic of Brits sitting outside a restaurant (in the summer) wearing yellow jackets, but “PILOT” on the back is a new one for me. It did look rather like a wingly or similar.
Airport and Le T to left of the river, Etaples (where the 3 places to eat open for 35 mins ) on the right
Similar wx on the way back
Great trip as always, and always great for a meet-up.
kids playground near the airfield fuel pump is an interesting concept
@Jujupilote, well spotted, yes, this playground has just been installed, replacing the old one. And all of it is sponsored by the on field based Alpine Air Ambulance.
The playground, and the general location of my field, make it all very attractive to Joe Public.
It is mostly nice, but can be a nuisance too. On a nice day hundreds of cars flood the parking lot, and refueling becomes akin to a theatrical performance as kids (along with their parents) clenched to the fence watch you perform and ask all kind of questions, or make more or less pertinent remarks
The Avgas pumps are in a different location, therefore hidden away.
But the real nuisance are the dogs and their walkers. The road leading to the hangars can be literally blocked by more or less controlled 4 leggers, and visiting the restaurant in the morning of a wet day is definitely not advisable.
Along with its quite popular restaurant, our field has become very attractive to a lot of people… realistically though, the few downsides listed above are only a mere price to pay in return for a continued operation of aviation activities without further restrictions…
I took advantage of the high pressure to take my TB20 to Sion to ski on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. Met @buckerfan and his wife just as we were both about to depart. Sunshine all the way until the last few miles descending into Lydd. The snow was superb both on and off piste.
My plane at Sion before departure. Buckerfan’s plane is just behind.
There was a lot of low cloud, in this picture you might just be able to see a wind farm poking through the cloud.
The contrast from the bright sunshine to the overcast at Lydd was quite dramatic.
